• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.4835-4838
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• 2013

Background: We compared treatment completion rates and safety of docetaxel and cyclophosphamide sixcycle therapy (TC6) with docetaxel followed by 5FU, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide (T-FEC) therapy in Japanese patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative breast cancer. Materials and Methods: We administered TC6 q3w or T-FEC q3w to HER2-negative breast cancer patients. The primary endpoint of this trial was toxicity. As second endpoints, the treatment completion rate and relative dose intensity were evaluated. Results: The TC6 and T-FEC group consisted of 22 and 21 patients, respectively. Concerning hematological toxicity, grade 3 or higher adverse reactions included neutropenia and febrile neutropenia. As non-hematological adverse events, exanthema and peripheral neuropathy were frequently reported in the TC6 group, whereas more patients of the T-FEC group reported nausea and vomiting. In TC6, the treatment completion rate was 86.4% and the relative dose intensity of docetaxel was 93.2%. In T-FEC, the values were 95.2% and 98.9%, respectively. Conclusions: These results suggest that TC6 is tolerable in Japanese, and that this regimen can also be performed in outpatient clinics. However, with the TC6 regimen, the compliance was slightly lower than with the T-FEC regimen, and supportive therapy needs to be managed appropriately.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.151-161
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• 1974

Home visiting as a Public Health Horsing function is believed to be of therapeutic value to, the patient. However, home visiting is time consuming and expensive. Is the gain in knowledge and treatment for patients with Tuberculosis in Korea enough to make the necessary outlay in finances and personnel worthwhile\ulcorner While this study does not attempt to completely answer this question it does, under the following objectives, attempt to answer part of the question. The objectives of the study were to l) ascertain if there is a difference between patients, who receive home visits from the public Health Nurse and those who do not, in the following areas: a) their compliance with medical regimen, b) their ability to answer general questions about Tuberculosis, and c) their compliance with medical advice concerning prevention (B.C.G. immunization) and early diagnosis (contact X-rays), and 2) to determine if there is any correlation between the patient's answers to questions about Tuberculosis and his action both in the areas of treatment and prevention. The patients participating in the study were all newly diagnosed patients at Kwangju Christian Hospital. A control group and an experimental group were selected. The patients in the control group were seen according to the regular schedule at the Kwangju Christian Hospital except that they received no home visits from the Public Health Nurses. The patients in the experimental group were visited on an average of three times during the first two months of their treatment by the investigator, a Public Health Nurse. At the end of two months the patients in the two groups were compared as to compliance both in the treatment and preventive areas. They were also compared according to their answers to a questionnaire regarding both the prevention and treatment of Tuberculosis. The following results were obtained : 1. Patients in the experimental group (68.2%) showed a significantly higher compliance rate for medical treatment than patients in the control group (43.2%). 2. Patients in the experimental group (87.5%) showed a higher compliance rate for B.C.G. immunization than those in the control group (40%). 3. Women patients in the experimental group showed a higher mean score (7.2$\pm$2.6) on the questionnaire than did women in the control group (6.2$\pm$3.4). The results of this study seem to indicate that while home visiting is beneficial to the patient with Tuberculosis as far as treatment is concerned, something more concrete needs to be done if home visiting is to help the patient learn more about Tuberculosis and its prevention. Further study is indicated in the following areas: 1) A similar type of study over a longer period of time involving more subjects and using Korean Public Health Nurses to make the home visits. 2) Study to develop an adequate approach to education considering the problems unique to patients with Tuberculosis living in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.17-31
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• 1995

Pharmacist-managed Anticoagulation Service(ACS) was estabilished and the effectiveness of warfarin monitoring by ACS in maintaining therapeutic INR was evaluated. The primary goal of ACS is to maximize the control of therapy, to maintain therapeutic INR and to decrease morbidity and hospitalization caused by inadequate dosage regimen. Clinical pharmacists performed chartreview, laboratory interpretation, recommendations for warfarin dosage adjustments, physician and patient education, and coordination of follow-up in ACS. Patients receiving warfarin sodium were evaluated via retrospective chart review. Sixty-two patients were referred to ACS by primary physicians were compared with 117 patients in the physician-amtrolled group. The ACS patients maintained $88.6\%$ in the therapeutic range for anticoagulant therapy and the control group maintained $63.7\%$, where the difference was statistically significant.(P<0.001) The ACS improved warfarin dose determination, PT stability, patient compliance and provided improved therapy compared with the control group. ACS offers safe and efficient anticoagulant therapy in the ambulatory setting.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.608-616
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• 2004

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the experience of patients with liver cirrhosis. Method: This study was performed from march 2003 to June 2003. The participators were five men. Data collected through in-depth personal interviews, which were recorded and analysed according to the Colazzi's method. Result: Liver cirrhosis was classified into 20 themes, 70 formulated meaning, and 10 categories. The Result confirmed that the experience of liver cirrhosis patients were classified into 10 categories; unexpected change, limited daily living and role, difficult compliance with therapeutic regimen, unbelief so untreated with apathy, negative emotional change, lack of cause perception, self control, perceived family support, expectations for recovery and healing. Conclusion: We, cooperative researchers, realized that to reduce not only the days of hospital treatment and the economic loss, as well as the expenditure of insurance the importance of managing liver cirrhosis from early diagnosis and the physical, spiritual, social role in studying the patients who experience liver cirrhosis.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.1145-1152
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• 2003

Propose. An effective rehabilitation program had been developed for psychiatric patients' self management of medication and symptoms in Korea. The rehabilitation program was designed to allow the patients to understand their illness, cope with their medical regimen, and prevent a relapse by recognizing any of the symptoms when they recur. Methods. The developed program utilizes the self efficacy method reported by Bandura, it includes manuals and videotapes focusing on real life situations, small group discussions, and telephone coaching. This study investigated the effects of this program with respect to various predictable variables in psychiatric rehabilitation. Thirty eight patients were selected for this study, 18 in the experimental program and 20 as controls. Results. The results showed that the subjects who attended this educational program reported significantly more improvement in attitude toward medication compliance (p=0.033), and significantly less relapse warning symptom scores (p=0.000) than the controls. Conclusion. This program may be a useful psychoeducational resource for professionals in the field of clinical practice in psychiatry.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.77 no.4
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• pp.161-166
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• 2014

Since tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health concern and the incidence of multi-drug resistant (MDR)-TB is increasing globally, new modalities for the detection of TB and drug resistant TB are needed to improve TB control. The Xpert MTB/RIF test can be a valuable new tool for early detection of TB and rifampicin resistance, with a high sensitivity and specificity. Late-generation fluoroquinolones, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin, which are the principal drugs for the treatment of MDR-TB, show equally high efficacy and safety. Systemic steroids may reduce the overall TB mortality attributable to all forms of TB across all organ systems, although inhaled corticosteroids can increase the risk of TB development. Although fixed dose combinations were expected to reduce the risk of drug resistance and increase drug compliance, a recent meta-analysis found that they might actually increase the risk of relapse and treatment failure. Regarding treatment duration, patients with cavitation and culture positivity at 2 months of TB treatment may require more than 6 months of standard treatment. New anti-TB drugs, such as linezolid, bedaquiline, and delamanid, could improve the outcomes in drug-resistant TB. Nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease has typical clinical and immunological phenotypes. Mycobacterial genotyping may predict disease progression, and whole genome sequencing may reveal the transmission of Mycobacterium abscessus. In refractory Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease, a moxifloxacin-containing regimen was expected to improve the treatment outcome.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.630-638
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a scale to evaluate stress in elderly patients with coronary artery diseases (CAD) and to examine validity and reliability of the scale. Methods: The development process for the preliminary scale included construction of a conceptual framework and initial items, verification of content analysis, sentence correction, and pilot study. This study was conducted using a questionnaire survey with one-to-one interviews during January and February, 2012. Participants were 240 elderly patients with CAD. Data were analyzed using item analysis, factor analysis, criterion related validity, and internal consistency. Results: The developed scale consisted of 32 items and 6 factors - aging and disease (7 items), family relations (5 items), anxiety and withdrawal (9 items), management of daily living (3 items), compliance of medical regimen (4 items), poverty and finance (4 items), and explained 68.5% of total variance. The scale had significantly positive correlation with the Korean Perceived Stress Scale (KPSS). Cronbach's alpha was .96, and Guttman split half coefficient was .91. Conclusion: Results indicate that the Stress Scale for Elderly Patients with CAD has validity and reliability, and is a suitable scale in health care settings to assess stress in elderly patients with CAD.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.1617-1623
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• 2016

Cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiation plays an undisputed key role as definitive treatment in unresectable patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma head and neck or as an organ preservation strategy. Treatment with 100 mg/m2 3-weekly cisplatin is considered the standard of care but is often associated with several adverse events. The optimum drug schedule of administration remains to be defined and presently, there is insufficient data limiting conclusions about the relative tolerability of one regimen over the other. This review addresses regarding the optimal dose schedule of cisplatin focusing mainly on three-weekly and weekly dose of cisplatin based concurrent chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced head and neck cancer with an emphasis on mucositis, dermatitis, systemic toxicity, compliance, and treatment interruptions. To derive a definitive conclusion, large prospective randomized trials are needed directly comparing standard 3-weekly cisplatin ($100mg/m^2$) with weekly schedule ($30-40mg/m^2$) of concurrent cisplatin based chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma head and neck.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.12
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• pp.520-525
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• 2014

Purpose: Childhood obesity is an increasing public health issue worldwide. We examined dietary patterns among adolescents in a dormitory school, identified obese adolescents and tried to intervene to improve food habits and physical activity. Methods: We conducted an experimental prospective longitudinal study based on 36 obese (body mass index $[BMI]{\geq}95th$ percentile) adolescents (aged 12-18 years) compared with controls (healthy children: normal age-appropriate BMI ($BMI{\leq}85th$ percentile). Six months' intervention included lifestyle-modification counseling (once a week by a clinical dietician), and an exercise regimen twice a week, 60 minutes each time, instructed by a professional pediatric trainer). Both groups underwent baseline measurements at the beginning of the study and 6 months later (arterial stiffness, blood pressure, pulse, weight and height, hemoglobin, creatinine, liver enzymes, highly sensitive C-reactive protein and complete lipid profile). Results: Twenty-one participants completed the study. Low compliance from participants, school staff and parents was observed (participation in planned meetings; 71%-83%). BMI significantly decreased from $32.46{\pm}3.93kg/m^2$ to $30.32{\pm}3.4kg/m^2$ (P=0.002) in the study group. Arterial stiffness was not significantly different between the 2 groups and did not change significantly after 6 months' intervention (P=0.494). No significant changes in CRP and lipid profile were observed after the intervention. Conclusion: Making lifestyle modifications among adolescents in a dormitory school is a complex task. Active intervention indeed ameliorates BMI parameters. However, in order to maximize the beneficial effects, a multidisciplinary well-trained team is needed, with emphasis on integrating parents and the school environment.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.82 no.4
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• pp.306-310
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• 2019

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is increasing in immigrants. We aimed to investigate the current status of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) treatment for North Korean Refugees (NKR) compared to South Koreans Contacts (SKC). Methods: TB close contacts in a closed facility of SKC and NKR who underwent LTBI screening in a settlement support center for NKR were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Among tuberculin skin test (TST) ${\geq}10mm$ (n=298) reactors, the males accounted for 72.2% in SKC (n=126) and 19.5% in NKR (n=172) (p<0.01). The mean age was higher in South Korea ($42.8{\pm}9.9years$ vs. $35.4{\pm}10.0years$, p<0.01). Additionally, the mean TST size was significantly bigger in NKR ($17.39{\pm}3.9mm$ vs. $16.57{\pm}4.2mm$, p=0.03). The LTBI treatments were initiated for all screened NKR, and LTBI completion rate was only 68.0%. However, in NKR, LTBI treatment completion rate was significantly increased by shorter 4R regimen (odds ratio [OR], 9.296; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.159-20.774; p<0.01) and male (OR, 3.447; 95% CI, 1.191-9.974; p=0.02). Conclusion: LTBI treatment compliance must be improved in NKR with a shorter regimen. In addition, a larger study regarding a focus on LTBI with easy access to related data for NKR should be conducted.